confessare

to confess, to admit

verb kon-fes-SAH-reh Less Common

Origin: From Latin confiteri.

Usage Note

Confessare can mean to admit a fault or crime (confessare un delitto) and, in a religious context, to make confession (andare a confessarsi). The reflexive confessarsi is the standard term for going to Catholic confession. It takes avere as auxiliary: ha confessato tutto (he confessed everything). A false friend for English speakers: confessare does NOT mean 'to confide' — use confidare for that.

Examples

"Ha confessato di aver sbagliato."

Natural Translation

He admitted that he had made a mistake.

Literal Translation

He-has confessed of having erred.

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